OMG, You People Can’t Do Anything!

Social media’s netizens' inability to do anything

By: Chanel Thorpe

Graphic by Yeyoung Jang

I started posting on TikTok in September of 2025. I have been using it as a creative outlet, a place to share my thoughts in both talking and text formats, and a space similar to my early days on YouTube, where I share tips on school, life, or beauty. By posting more on TikTok, I have found that I naturally spend more time on the app. So much so that I have set a time limit on the app during the week to ensure my days remain as productive as possible. 

During my time on TikTok, it has become increasingly clear that there is a gradual decrease in initiative to discover, learn, or try new things. It seems like everyone needs a tutorial on some of the most basic things. In December, I saw several TikToks back-to-back that prompted me to make a story, basically laughing at how people were asking for tips on doing things so basic that it almost felt like a joke. These were some of the videos I saw: “How do I start listening to Charli XCX?” “How do I become a tea girly? I don’t like tea, but I want to drink it,” and “How do I start doing yoga?” I think the yoga one I can sympathize with a little bit more; maybe the person wants to be able to do something safely and avoid injuries. Who knows. But I don’t have an excuse for the one asking how to listen to Charli XCX or the one asking how to drink tea, because those questions are silly.

I made a video a month ago, asking people why commenters choose to drop questions in a creator’s comment section instead of googling it or going to Reddit to find a more comprehensive, informative, and context-filled answer. That video didn’t do too well, but one of my mutuals answered and left me with a response that kept me thinking. She said, “I think it’s an extension of social media, taking away people’s ability to think and act for themselves. They’re so locked into doomscrolling they can’t even stop to research simple questions. They rely on other people’s knowledge so they can continue scrolling and thus get a response while they do so. I thought it was an excellent and totally accurate depiction of social media habits, particularly on TikTok.

One of my other mutuals, ArchivesbyAida, made a viral video titled "Your Lack of Curiosity is Making You Dull," where she essentially describes how we are addicted to short-form content and how one effect of that addiction is a decrease in our desire to learn and be curious. In the BBC article TikTok-addicted students delete app during exams by Jared Evitts, Dr. Williams, a lecturer and researcher, said that TikTok is so popular and addictive because it is “short and sweet” and “keeps your attention going from one to another”. It seems as though TikTok is literally making us handicapped. It is taking up too much of our attention because it is easy to access so many different subsets of information and our interests without really engaging with them. It’s leaving us entertained rather than teaching, learning, or taking something away from the video besides saying “that was funny,” “she was pretty,” or “that was really cool.” Not only is that boring, but it leaves us having superficial conversations about trends or a certain funny video. The effects of short-form content 100% trickle into our day-to-day lives and interactions with others. And it honestly leaves many at a disadvantage. Losing the ability to be curious and think critically is dangerous for learning and for onward progress in school or a job. While I can’t come up with a solution, I think the tweet “OMG you people can’t do anything” has been ringing true for the past five years, if not more.